Deutsche Oper Berlin

Behind its linear design and unadorned façade, the Deutsche Oper Berlin presents the world of opera to a broad audience of music lovers. Inside, the architectural elements focus on the essentials, with all seats in the auditorium offering an unimpeded view of the stage. The spacious foyers are ideal for a stroll, a drink or a snack in the interval, and the impressive façade windows provide a view out across the vibrant Bismarckstraße. But the star here, naturally, is opera – with the Deutsche Oper Berlin showcasing stunning productions of the best in grand opera!

Carefully chosen repertoire

Traditionally, the Deutsche Oper Berlin is home to classical nineteenth-century opera, in particular Verdi, Puccini, Wagner and Strauss. But the spectrum of works also regularly includes French composers and Italian bel canto operas, as well as rediscovered works from the early twentieth century. For the 2017|18 seasons, General Manager Dietmar Schwarz and Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles, the General Music Director, are also planning new productions of works by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Benjamin Britten.

Together with the grand opera repertoire, there is now a new emphasis on showcasing contemporary opera composers. Here, the Deutsche Oper Berlin is renowned for its promotion programme dedicated to young talents and enriching the world of opera through its series of commissioned works. Over the years, the Deutsche Oper Berlin has also garnered an enviable reputation for productions by such renowned directors as Götz Friedrich, Hans Neuenfels and Achim Freyer.  

Pioneering experimental works in the Tischlerei

For its programme of new, unusual and experimental works, the Deutsche Oper Berlin has found an appropriately unique venue – its Tischlerei stage in the old carpenter’s workshop. With none of the traditional fixed borders between stage and auditorium, this large and flexible space is ideal for a range of new works and new formats in opera and musical theatre. Through its excitingly different approach, the old Tischlerei opens up the world of music to a wide audience – with a programme including concerts for parents with babies, or music theatre for children from as young as two years old!

New insights into the opera programme

On the opera stage, the spotlight is on the individuals and their fates. Away from the auditorium, though, the Deutsche Oper Berlin also explores these performances in other ways – in particular, through a series of temporary exhibitions of photographic works reflecting and complementing the season’s programme. The photographs enter into a dialogue with the events on stage, and can be enjoyed independently or as new insights during intervals over a glass of champagne in the foyer...

Berlin’s largest opera house

Founded in the early 1900s, the Deutsche Oper showcases grand, modern operas for a broad audience. In that democratic spirit, the original auditorium had no opera boxes and all seats offered a good view of the stage. This building, though, was largely destroyed in the Second World War. In the post-war years, a new opera house was constructed on the same site with an auditorium seating nearly 2000. This new venue, designed by architect Fritz Bornemann, remained true to its roots, with all seats offering an unimpaired view of the stage. The new opera house – named the Deutsche Oper Berlin – was inaugurated in 1961 with a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. During the years of a divided Berlin, the Deutsche Oper Berlin was the only opera house in the western part of the city.

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